Plato’s Philosophy: Ideas, Soul, and the World
Plato’s Philosophy: Maturity Period (385 BC – 370 BC)
The Maturity Period (385 BC – 370 BC) is a significant era in the history of literature and philosophy. During this time, Plato’s theory of practical ideas and theory of love emerged, and he exposed some of the great myths, such as the myth of the destiny of souls and the winged horse.
Influences on Plato’s Thought
Plato’s philosophy was influenced by several pre-Socratic thinkers:
- Heraclitus: Plato acknowledges Heraclitus’s concept of constant change. However, Plato argues that this reality is only an appearance, the “sensible world” of objects offered to the senses. While everything in the sensible world is in constant flux, the underlying essence does not change.
- Pythagoreanism: Plato agrees with the importance attributed to mathematics and geometry. These are not subject to change; rather, they are discovered. Numbers, mathematics, and geometry are the principles of all things. Similar to the Pythagorean concept of purifying the soul, Plato believed in catharsis.
- Parmenides: Plato uses the same characteristics of Parmenides’s concept of “being” to describe ideas, defining them as unique, eternal, and immutable. Plato distinguishes between truth and opinion, positing two worlds: the sensible and the intelligible.
- Anaxagoras: Plato introduces a new, transcendent reality separate from everything else, an efficient cause of motion. This is antecedent to and characteristic of the Platonic demiurge, introducing a rational order and purpose in the cosmological vision.
- Socrates: Plato shared Socrates’s rejection of utilitarianism by the Sophists, focusing instead on education and success in politics, and rejecting relativistic attitudes.
Theory of Ideas
Plato’s theory of ideas posits that everything that exists is based on an ideal form. For example, the idea of a pig or a triangle exists as a perfect, ideal form. The sensible world must be based on a perfect universe, independent of real things and accessible through a different type of perception than our senses. Ideas are not merely concepts used to categorize sensory experiences but are the foundation and model for the real world.
Two Different Worlds
Plato distinguishes between two worlds: a continually changing world that we perceive through our senses, and an unchanging world perceived through understanding. The sensible world is subject to change and is not truly real, while the intelligible world is the realm of ideas.
The Idea of Good
The world of ideas is arranged hierarchically. At the base are the ideas of sensible objects, followed by mathematical objects, ethical and aesthetic ideas such as beauty and justice, and finally, the Idea of the Good. The Idea of the Good serves as the ultimate reference point for all other ideas and guides human actions.
The Soul
Plato believes that the soul is the principle of life in the body, following a dualistic conception that opposes the corporeal element. The soul moves itself and transmits this movement to the body, which would otherwise be inert. The soul predominates over the body, is older, and their union is accidental and temporary, as they are separable. Plato defines the soul as simple, divine, immortal, intelligent, consistent, and indissoluble, while the body belongs to the mortal and sensible world.
Three Parts of the Soul
The soul has three parts:
- Rational: This part distinguishes humans from animals and is the highest element, resembling the divine and being immortal. It resides in the brain and guides the other two parts of the soul.
- Spirited: Located in the chest, this part is related to morality and is the source of noble passions.
- Appetitive: This part is associated with desires and tendencies that are less controlled.